Saskatchewan Water Security Agency Releases Fall Conditions Report
Dec. 10 - 2015
[Full report is here ]
[Note: As snowfall can dramatically impact runoff, the report is not a runoff forecast but rather an early indication of what areas are more vulnerable to above or below normal runoff.]

Today, the Water Security Agency (WSA) released the 2015 Conditions at Freeze-up Report. The report summarizes the water supply conditions during the late fall and early winter period. This report helps provide a better understanding of the conditions on the ground in preparation for spring runoff in 2016.

The majority of the province has normal moisture conditions for this time of year; however, some areas in eastern Saskatchewan still have a higher than normal amount of moisture on the landscape going into winter.

The Pipestone, Qu’Appelle, Assiniboine, Red Deer, Torch, and Carrot River Basins all have above normal moisture conditions for this time of year. Some stream flows in the Qu’Appelle, Pipestone and Assiniboine Basins were at above normal levels at the end of October.

While spring and early summer precipitation was well below normal across much of the province, above normal late summer and fall precipitation resulted in near normal precipitation accumulations across most of Saskatchewan between April 1 and October 31, 2015.

On October 26, 2015, topsoil moisture conditions were generally described as adequate across the grainbelt with the exception of an area in the northeast and a few pockets in east central areas of the province where conditions are described as surplus. However, precipitation received during the first three weeks of November has resulted in additional areas with surplus soil moisture conditions.

Long range forecasts for this winter are suggesting below normal precipitation.

Overall, since 2010, the WSA’s groundwater observation well network has shown an overall increase in groundwater levels throughout the province.

The initial Spring Runoff Outlook for 2016 will be issued in early February. For more information ,visit www.wsask.ca.

Ethiopia to buy more wheat to avert drought crisis

ADDIS ABABA, Nov 18 Ethiopia expects to open a tender to buy additional wheat after purchasing one million tonnes to tackle extreme food shortages due to drought, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Failed rains during the spring and summer have sparked food and water shortages in the Horn of Africa nation, which boasts one of the continent's highest growth rates but depends heavily on rain-fed farming.

The United Nations says 8 million people in the country of 96 million will need food aid but the number could rise to 15 million by early 2016, owing to shortages exacerbated by the effects of the El Nino weather pattern.

"In total, nearly a million metric tonnes have been purchased," government spokesman Getachew Reda told a news conference, adding around $280 million has so far been spent to tackle the crisis.

"A significant part of it is going to be used to address this challenge. An equally significant part will also be meant to address inflationary pressures that could result from some misguided moves in the market," Getachew said.

El Nino, marked by warming sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, causes extremes such as scorching weather in some regions of the globe and heavy rains and flooding in others.

Meteorologists expect El Nino to peak between October and January.

Humanitarian agencies say Ethiopia needs $600 million to cope with the crisis. The United Nations says 350,000 children are expected to require treatment for acute malnutrition in the country by the end of 2015.

"We are going to be okay for the next three or four months, at least from the reserves that we have," Getachew said, adding there had been no loss of life owing to the drought so far.

"We are ready for any eventuality. What that means ... is we will be out in a shopping spree (to buy wheat) once again."

BMO Bank of Montreal Announces Western Canada Drought Relief Program for Farmers

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - July 27, 2015) - BMO Bank of Montreal today announced a financial relief program to assist its commercial customers in Western Canada affected by the significant drought conditions in the region.

"Across Western Canada, in particular Alberta and Saskatchewan, current drought conditions have the potential to negatively impact crop yields," said Steve Murphy, Head, Canadian Commercial Banking, BMO Bank of Montreal. "While the impact of the drought will not be fully known until the crop harvest is complete this fall, we want to ensure our farmers in these affected regions have the financial support now to help alleviate any future challenges."

The relief program for farmers impacted by the drought includes:

Deferred loan payments.

Reduced and/or waived fees on any application seeking increased or new financing accommodation.

Reduced and/or waived annual banking fees.

For further information, customers are encouraged to visit a local BMO branch, call 1-877 CALL BMO (225-5266), or visit www.bmo.com. For information on branch locations in your area, please visit the BMO Branch Locator: https://locator.bmo.com/.

About BMO and Agriculture

BMO's roots in the Canadian agricultural sector date back to 1817, when the Bank first began working with farmers to support and expand the agricultural industry, which has become a key driver of Canada's economy. Today, BMO provides customized loan, deposit, cash management and card payment solutions to Canada's agri-business owners.

About BMO Financial Group

Established in 1817, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. With total assets of approximately $633 billion as of April 30, 2015, and more than 47,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.